This industry is not regulated properly, they are another self regulating joke. The key issue is water poisoning and land degradation and a vast criss cross of pipelines ruining the landscape and destoying threatened species habitat. The minister is an ill informed fool. They are even mining in the Sydney basin near Campbelltown where a well was spewing foamed water whih is water that has had formaldehyde put in it. Iwould not trust the governments stated protction laws as they are very seldom enforced. To fight these resorce thieves would cost landholders a fortune. It is land theft by any other name.

Thankyou Madonna for interviewing these top players...still nothing has changed by them....the SYSTEM creases itself.

" People Power "
I attended the “Toowoomba Coal Mining Action Group” meeting at Highfields Qld this evening, Sunday 22nd May, 2011. It was their third community gathering this year, and my first. There attended approx 3-400 concerned citizens exercising democracy; their duty to this great land of ours. Also in attendance was half a dozen council persons and some members of parliament, including the upcoming Queensland Party representative - there to confirm in his words,” the projected uneasiness of the community”. To my mind, the way mining prospecting and mining leases are granted seems to bore into the Government’s explanation for the need for legislative change. Meanwhile land owners adhere to strictly up hold laws regarding water and land use, whilst seeing the exploration and mining companies go ahead with land and water degradation. The people who attended the meeting heard Governments on all levels saying that their hands were bound, yet they will try and do something about it. I am surprised (or should I be?) about the current situation concerning prospecting and mining leases granted on this nations most productive farmland, the spoiling of the artesian basin and the clear fresh country air we breathe, has come so far, and is continuing at a rapid pace, with only now, the Government agencies realizing that they can’t get away with it. What possessed them to sell their country out in this manner? State debt? Tonight I saw the seeds of a democratic movement with concerned citizens exercising their power against the perceived tyranny of Government and mining companies. One set of laws for us, and another set of laws for them, or do I question a hint of fascism?

How can such a poorly regulated industry be trusted to conduct itself ethically when its only purpose is to make money. I am disgusted at our government who puts short term economic gains in front of long term environmental disaster. Its Australia Gasland all over again. God help our children

Well done Madonna, good interviews. The coal seam gas industry is a desperately dirty, dangerous and deceitful business.

We need to be using the precautionary principle to make decisions about our food producing land and our state's water. Instead, our governments and fossil fuel industries are charging ahead at full tilt before the dangers are even identified let alone remedied. It's time to stop burning fossil fuels, not destroying our life support system to extract more and more!

We have the technologies for clean renewable energy production - and we could get to 100% renewable energy by 2020 in Australia if we had the political will. Have you seen the BZE Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan? That's the blueprint we should be following. Not this dangerous destructive 19th century path! Regards